Mango Chia-Tapioca (No added sugar, fruit-sweetened)

I’m a flip-flops-in-winter kind of a gal. I think it’s how I stay connected to my So-Cal roots combined with a touch of laziness (shhhh). But I admit, I should probably grow up and throw on some boots when its 39 degrees out and raining, right? I'm thinking there are other, more age-appropriate ways I could pretend it’s warmer than it really is… like take a 2-minute mental vacation to Hawaii or even better, make this dessert! Now, we’re talking! It’s amazingly simple to make, and is so good for you – way better than that bowl of ice cream you were considering. And this one is definitely barre3-approved  -- it’s sweetened only with fruit and contains a healthy amount of omega-3’s, protein, and fiber from the chia seeds. This chia-tapioca tastes like creamy-fluffy-sweet summer in a glass. You gotta try it, especially if you’re ready for some sunshine (and you really are going to keep wearing flip-flops in winter no matter what).

Mission Escape Winter: Accomplished, Temporarily 

Mango Chia-Tapioca Pudding

Serves 6-8

1 ripe banana

1 ½ cups frozen mango chunks (+ extra for garnish)

1 date

1 can full-fat coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 Tbsp chia seeds

Method:

Blend first 5 ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Add the chia seeds and pulse until combined.

Pour into ramekins and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.  Garnish with diced mango chunks.  You could also garnish with unsweetened coconut flakes or chopped almonds for some crunch factor. YUM! This dessert can be made ahead (keeps for 3-4 days). 

Chicken with a Mushroom Sage sauce + green beans & sprouted red rice

Today’s barre3 challenge-approved recipe is a little more time consuming than the chili recipe from last week, but this is still an easy recipe overall and totally works for a weeknight dinner (only 2 pans required and about 30 minutes of work). I often make the sauce ahead of time so that all I have to do at the witching hour is pan-roast the chicken and prep a side – maybe asparagus, French green beans or wilted spinach with a grain – usually brown rice or quinoa.

The recipe is inspired by two of my favorite chicken recipes – one my mom used to make with mushrooms and Dijon mustard and one from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc cookbook (made with gobs of butter). Both recipes are simple and delicious, so I combined them and made it a lot healthier in the process. This meal looks so impressive when served on a pretty platter, family style.  Its kind of like fancy comfort food, but healthy.

The recipe is also super flexible. Don’t want to use white wine in the sauce? No problem, just substitute extra chicken broth. Don’t like mustard?  Skip it! The sauce is delicious without it, just not as tangy. Don’t have Greek yogurt? You can use sour cream or skip the dairy all together – it’s still divine. 

This dinner is a perfect way to boost your day’s intake of Vitamin D, B, and several important minerals – like selenium, magnesium, potassium and iron.  I’m a huge mushroom fan for lots of good reasons starting with taste – they have such a delicious, meaty flavor that’s so hard to describe – but they are also awesome for weight maintenance (hello, high fiber!), heart health and immunity, and they also have anti-cancer/inflammation properties, so don’t be shy, eat up!!

Chicken with Mushroom-Sage Sauce

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp olive oil + 2 tsp, divided

10 oz sliced crimini mushrooms (or any mushrooms of choice)

¼ cup finely diced shallot, about 1 very large

1 Tbsp gluten-free flour (or whole wheat flour)

¼ cup white wine (or broth)

1 cup chicken broth + extra if needed to thin sauce

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard

7 sage leaves, minced + a few extra leaves for garnish

¼ cup +1 Tbsp plain Greek Yogurt (I used Fage 2%)

salt and pepper to taste

Sides:

1 bag sprouted red rice from TJs

1 bag of haricot verts from TJs or green veggie of choice

Method:

Begin to prepare the mushroom sauce by heating 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until lightly browned and soft, about 5-10 minutes.

While the mushrooms cook, heat another large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tsp olive oil.  Season chicken breasts with garlic powder, salt and pepper.  Add chicken breasts to the pan, searing for 2 minutes on the first side, then flip over. Reduce heat to medium, cover chicken with a lid, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until juices run clear.

Add the shallots to the mushrooms, and cook until they soften, about 5 more minutes.

Meanwhile, microwave the bag of sprouted red rice or grain of choice, and prepare a green veggie of choice (I love the bags of French green beans from Trader Joe’s, but anything works- just make it easy on yourself!).

Sprinkle 1 Tbsp gluten free flour over the mushroom-shallot mixture, and toss to coat, cooking for about 2 more minutes. Deglaze the pan by adding the wine and broth (you can use all broth for the liquid if you prefer). Stir. Add the mustard, sage, and yogurt to the sauce. Season as needed with salt and pepper.

Plate a little rice – top with a chicken breast- and smother it in the mushroom sauce.  Serve along side your green veggie. Garnish chicken with extra minced sage. Done - you're awesome!

Pumpkin Chili

Happy New Year! I hope it’s off to a great start. I’ve been doing lots of thinking about what I want out of the coming year—tons of ideas, but I keep coming back to one thing – I want to completely embrace the idea of balance. It’s not a novel word to me– pretty sure it’s not foreign to you either.  It’s just never been that big of a deal to me until recently. With the kiddos and the chaos that ensues, I sometimes feel like I can’t do anything particularly well anymore. But I think the feeling comes from not budgeting my time very well, and not stopping in the moment to savor the precious little nuggets of gold along the way, and in all honesty, maybe I need to get off my computer at night and fold some laundry (OK, NOT maybe, I DO).  So, my goal is to better balance my time – having lots of silly fun with my kids and hubby, trying to keep up on house chores (and making sure kids get their chores done, too), cooking from scratch as much as possible, and getting lots of exercise, especially with the fam. And then there’s the other side of my balance goal where I will not beat myself up when I microwave chicken nuggets for the kids, the laundry pile gets so big it falls off the dryer, or when the kitchen table is nasty-crusty, or I skip a run to snuggle with my guy.  Well, that’s my work for the year, along with a few other personal goals like staying away from Sephora until spring and getting my windshield fluid squirter-thingy repaired.

But one other thing that I’m REALLY excited about is the #barre3challenge that starts today! It’s one month where you commit to clean, whole food eating and workouts from barre3 – the perfect way to start your new year off!  Barre3 teaches the concept of balance from inside out, so it really is the perfect place to be if you want to get a killer workout while letting go of all the mental garbage that floats around in your head. I always leave class feeling stronger, more calm, purposeful, and grateful.  I don’t like to push my workouts on anyone, but I’ve been doing barre3 for about 2 years now, and I can say it has changed my life (and body), and continues to do so. Barre3 stands out from the rest because their workouts are more efficient (not easier), AND they offer sound nutrition info and recipes. I LOVE that barre3 gets it--- you need more than just a good workout, you need good nourishment, too.

So for the next month, I will be contributing to the barre3 challenge at the Danville location by posting 1-2 barre3-approved recipes per week on my blog.  Barre3 Danville is my 2^nd home and I am so thrilled to be sharing some good, healthy eats with you all. So even if you aren’t doing the barre3 challenge this month, stay tuned here for some yummy food that’s perfect for stepping into the new year on a more balanced foot.

Pumpkin Chili

Serves 6(ish)

Need a seriously delicious, hearty chili recipe that can be on the table in under 30 minutes?  Looking to eat less meat and more veggies in the New Year, but afraid your husband and kids will revolt? No problem – I’ve got you covered!

I’m a bit obsessed with this recipe right now. It’s irresistible – the ingredients are simple (and cheap!), and I always have them on hand so it makes this meal a weeknight no-brainer; its flexible – I’ve made it several different ways depending on what I have on hand and it’s always good and man-approved; it freezes great and there’s plenty leftover for dinner later in the week! But beyond the ease of this recipe, can I just mention that it is a perfect recipe to add to your ‘clean eating’ file? Most chilis are loaded in fiber and protein, but this one is extra special because it skips the meat (nothing against meat just think we all get more than enough!) and sneaks in extra veggies like pumpkin and butternut squash, which means you get an added dose of fiber, vitamin A and C, antioxidants, and potassium—all of this goodness means you will have an improved immune system, better skin and hair, more regular digestive system, and a reduced risk of developing cancer, asthma, high blood pressure, and heart disease (to name a few).

So, skip the meat tonight (I promise it won’t be missed) and make this awesome chili.  It’s the perfect comfort food to feed your belly, soul, and family on these chilly nights.

INGREDIENTS:

1 yellow onion, chopped (short on time? Use about ½ bag of the pre-chopped onions from Trader Joe’s)

2 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic (I use the frozen garlic cubes from Trader Joe’s)

1 can (14oz) fire-roasted tomatoes with juice

1 small can diced green chilis (mild)

1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree

1 (12oz) bag of cubed butternut squash (or about 2 cups)*

3 (14oz) cans beans (I like a mix of black, pinto, and kidney)

1 cup frozen organic corn kernels

½ jar of Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce

1 Tbsp chili powder (add more as desired, up to 2 Tbsp works)

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika (can be found at Trader Joe’s now)

¼ tsp cayenne, optional

salt and pepper to taste

water, as needed

 Garnishes (all optional but so good): diced avocado, diced green onion, cilantro, dollop of plain Greek yogurt

METHOD:

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the garlic, stirring frequently for about 1-2 minutes. Now it’s time to start dumping stuff in. Add the tomatoes, green chilis, pumpkin puree, butternut squash, beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and spices. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper or more spices.

Bring soup to a simmer, and cook until butternut squash cubes can be pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes or so.  If soup is too thick, add about ½ cup water at a time until desired thickness is reached (I like mine super thick). Top with loads of green onion, some diced avocado, cilantro, and Greek yogurt if you need it.

*You may need to cut the butternut squash cubes into smaller pieces to help expedite cooking time. Aim for pieces to be about the size of your thumb tip (from the tip of your thumb to the first joint)

Last minute Christmas baking alert: Gingerbread Shortbread Cookies

We are one week away from Christmas and I'm hoping that you can find a few minutes to whip up these delicious cookies. They are the PERFECT combination of gingerbread and buttery goodness! These could easily be eaten plain or frosted with Christmas sprinkles. I used cookie cutters for mine and with the leftovers, I formed a couple of balls and rolled them in sugar crystals--so however you decide to bake these cookies they will be good. No not good, friggin delish. I want to cry they came out so perfect. Ok, I think you get it--I liked these ;)

While baking is my guilty selfish pleasure, I do love an opportunity to let the kids help me. My kids absolutely loved using the cookie cutters to help me shape the cookies. I plan on freezing the baked cookies and having the kids decorate them with their cutie cousins on Christmas eve. Not too excited about sprinkles being thrown across the house on Christmas Eve but maybe that will be my New Year's resolution… Relax a little bit, let messes be messes; there are worse things in life. 

Gingerbread Shortbread Cookies

Recipe adapted from crosbys.com

Makes 1 dozen (depending on size)

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of salt 

1.5 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Pinch of allspice (optional)

8 oz (1 cup) cold, unsalted butter (European is best, like KerryGold), cut into cubes

1/4 cup molasses 

Method:

In a large bowl combine the flour, powdered sugar, salt and spices.

Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. With your hands or a pastry blender, mix the flour and butter together until a crumbly, sandy mixture is formed. This takes a few minutes. 

Then add the molasses. You can blend with your hands or a fork. But I find that using your hands gets everything incorporated the best. My dough was a touch on the wet side so at this point I added about 2 tablespoons of flour. And then it was perfect.

Form the dough into a large ball and place it in saran wrap. Refrigerate the dough for about four hours. Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness or whatever you would like (I like 'em thick!). 

Bake at 325 for approximately 10 to 14 minutes. Don't overcook! 

Frost and decorate as desired. 

Merry Christmas y'all. Hope you have the most special time with your family and friends. XO. 

Date Cookies

Anybody who knows me knows I have a thing for cookies. Whether they have browned butter, oats, chocolate chips, peanut butter, nuts, mashed banana- doesn't matter - I like them all. But lately, I'm making a major conscious effort to stop with the brown butter chocolate chip cookies I love and focus on healthier treats with less refined sugar. Truth is, I don't want to be that dietitian that doesn't walk the walk.

 On that note, it's always good to have an arsenal of healthy treat recipes up your sleeve- you never know what you will have on hand and you never know when your sweet tooth will strike! Let's hope it strikes in moderation :)

 I've fallen in love with these cookies - they have a yummy vanilla cookie taste with just enough texture to keep me interested. They are awesome fresh from the oven but what's crazier- they are friggin delish frozen! So far, they have a 1:4 kid approval rating in my house, but don't let that stop you from making them.

 They may not be picky-kid approved (is there a cookie with nuts that is??), but they are absolutely yummy and pack some good nutrition- like nuts, fruit, and coconut oil. These are totally a good choice for when you need a cookie but don't want to sacrifice your clean eating.

Mission Healthy and Clean Cookie: Acccomplished 

Date Cookies 

Ingredients:

1.5 cups almond flour

1/4 cup Gluten-free flour blend

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp melted coconut oil

1/2 of a ripe banana, mashed

3 Tbsp honey or agave

1 egg (or flax egg made with 1 Tbsp ground flax + 3 Tbsp water)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract 

1/4 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans

1/3 cup dates, chopped (into a mush)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a small separate bowl, mix the mashed banana, melted coconut oil, honey, egg, and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients.

 Finish by stirring in the almonds and dates. Mix until combined.

Portion into 14 cookies and bake for about 12 minutes. Freeze what you don't want - trust me :)

Reboot-style Nutella

Today, the vision of soft pumpkin cookies wouldn't leave my mind (I blame my addiction to Foodgawker for this). And when I pictured these cookies, I saw them with chocolate. But not just any chocolate. No little chocolate chips in this daydream. I'm talking about thick, fudgey frosting in the form of something like Nutella. Nutty, really sweet, and kind of fall-ish. 

 But here's the problem. I'm in the middle of my six-week Reboot and the leader cannot falter!! That means a jar of Nutella is a big no-no for now because I'm staying clear of (to name a few) refined sugar, artificial flavors, and I'm really watching my dairy intake as well. Beyond those nutritional prerequisites, the Reboot is all about minimal foods coming from packages. So that means I need to make this Reboot-style Nutella from scratch.

Fast forward to this afternoon, and I'm feeling pretty stoked since I have all the ingredients on hand: 2 cups of hazelnuts from Trader Joe's, 10 Medjool dates, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp coconut oil, pinch of salt.

Here's what I did. I put the hazelnuts in my food processor and blended them until a nut butter was formed. This took about two minutes. I think mine could've been puréed for a bit longer as it was still a bit chunky. Next I added the pitted dates one at a time and blended until smooth. Then I added the rest of the ingredients one at a time and mixed until combined. 

That's it! It took me no time at all and seriously folks, this is going to make a fantastic dessert served with apple and banana slices or strawberries. And I won't feel one bit guilty swirling a spoonful into my oatmeal or Greek yogurt in the morning. Or how does a banana-Nutella-spinach smoothie sound? I'm all over it!

Hope you give this a try the next time you crave pumpkin cookies (ha! Who needs 'em when you have a spoon!). 

Mission Reboot-style Nutella: Accomplished  

Blueberry-Almond-Oat Scones and crazy mornings with kids

With school back in full swing (3 different drop off times and 3 different pick up times - are you kidding me?), I'm finding it more of a challenge to get a good breakfast in. I'm NOT a breakfast skipper, its like religion to me. So for these hectic mornings, it's so good to have a back-up plan for when sitting down at the table is not an option. I'm a big fan of scones - and while this recipe isn't exactly a scone (its way healthier), it's the smarter cousin to a scone - and also related to muffin tops and soft, chewy cookies. You'll definitely want to make these gems... and freeze a few for those blissful mornings when you can't find your keys, can't remember if you brushed your teeth or if your children can't find socks or their library book and the dog gets out the front door while you are half dressed, and did I mention you forgot to feed the puppy? Of course, these also make a perfect post-workout snack with a cup of chamomile tea in between drop offs and pick ups. And no, I won't judge you if you make a tea-based hot toddy - there's some crazy stuff that happens at kid-homes between 6:30 and 8:05 am!!!

Back to the scones…these are loaded with good for you stuff. Just check out the star ingredients: homemade oat flour (so quick and easy to make), oats, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, blueberries, chia, raw honey, hemp seeds, coconut oil and organic peanut butter. There's no getting around it - even if you don't love these as much as I do, you'll be getting some pretty stellar nutrition that will keep you full for hours. Reboot-approved for weeks 5 &6!

Mission Super Healthy Scone: Accomplished

Blueberry-Almond-Oat Scones
makes 8

Ingredients:

• 3/4 heaping cup oat flour (blend heaping 3/4 cup oats in your food processor until fine and powdery)
• 1/4 cup raw honey
• 1/4 cup organic peanut butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
• 1 small banana, peeled
• 1 egg (you can also use a flax 'egg', 1 Tbsp flax meal + 3 Tbsp water, let rest for 5 minutes)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, optional 
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp each chia seeds and hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350. In your food processor, pulse 3/4 cup of oats until flour-like in consistency (about 1-2 minutes).  Set aside in small bowl.

2. In the empty food processor, add banana, honey, peanut butter. Puree until very smooth. Add the egg and pulse until incorporated. Add the coconut oil and the vanilla and blend well.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, oats, salt, baking soda, baking powder, chia, hemp, and sesame seeds, and almonds and sunflower seeds. Mix until combined. Fold in the frozen blueberries gently. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.

4. Divide batter into 8 cookie-like portions on a lined baking sheet (I use a Silpat). Bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven to cool. Scones will keep fresh for 3 days in a sealed container, so freeze what you won't use right away. 

*for breakfast, I'd add a 6 oz cup of low-sugar greek yogurt to go with the scone (like Siggi's Vanilla or coconut, or Goats milk greek yogurt); but this is fine on its own as a snack.